Local Government in The city council of Brisbane comprises 14 members who are styled aldermen, one of whom is elect ed annually to be mayor. The capital value of land is assessed here and not the rental value. The owner or occupier has from one to three votes according to valuation. If, however, the property is valued• at less than f120, only the occupier has a vote.
A general system of local government was started in 1878 and revised in 1902. Local areas are divided into cities, towns and shires. Members of councils are styled aldermen in cities and towns and councillors in the shires. Aldermen and councillors are elected by rate payers in each area, but all mayors of cities and towns and chairmen of shires are chosen by the members of the councils. The total area controlled by local bodies is 668,252 square miles, leaving only 245 square miles unincor porated.
In Queensland the water supply construction work is undertaken by the state government and when complete is handed over to the local authorities with attendant liabilities, which be come a debt due from the local authority to the state government which must be repaid in in stalments. There are a few bridge boards and harbor boards in various districts Local Government in West Australia and The city of Perth — the capital of West Australia— is governed by a mayor and 15 councillors, all of whom are elected by the ratepayers. For ward elections there are two classes of voters and for general municipal elections four. The local governing bodies in West Australia are termed municipalities, water boards, road boards and health boards; the latter may he established within or without municipal boundaries. Members of boards are elected by ratepayers and the chairmen by the members.
In Hobart — the capital city of the island state of Tasmania—the council consists of nine aldermen, one of whom is elected by the mem bers to be mayor. The aldermen are elected by plural voting with a minimum qualification of f8 annual value, the scale being from one to seven votes, according to assessed value of property.
Tasmania has its outlying districts governed by town boards and road trusts. The rate payers in these districts elect their representa tives who are termed °councillors) and these councillors elect their chairman who is styled °warden?) Powers and Duties of the City Councils. — The functions of the city councils are legisla tive as well as administrative. They are em powered under statutes granted by the state Parliaments to make by-laws for the suppres sion of nuisances for all matters of minutia relating to good rule and government, and affecting the comfort, convenience and welfare of their inhabitants. They may levy rates to
cover the cost of general administration and raise loans (under certain restrictions) when necessa for public works. Properties ex empted rom payment of rates are Federal and stategovernment buildings (including state schools), charitable and benevolent institutions, churches, chapels and buildings used exclusively for public worship, and buildings privately owned which are used exclusively as schools. They are charged with the control of traffic, the testing of weights and measures, the con struction and maintenance of roads, bridges and footways, the care and management of parks and recreation grounds, public baths, street lighting, sheep and cattle markets, meat, produce and fish markets, abattoirs, the collec tion and disposal of garbage, trade refuse, and they may and do hold large properties in real estate. They supervise the erection and con struction of buildings and in some cities have jurisdiction over theatres, music halls and. places, of public entertainment as to fireproof materials and means of exit. They regulate sky signs and scaffolding and in most cities license cars, cabs and conveyances plying for hire.
Public Health and Sanitary Functions.— The city councils are constituted as boards of health and are responsible in their areas for the proper administration of the various public health acts to the state boards of health or government commissioners as the case may be. They inspect and license private hospitals and maternity homes and employ medical officers of health and staffs of inspectors (male and female) whose duties are to look after the adulteration of food and to have the oversight of food supplies (particularly meat milk and bread), inspection of common lodging-houses, dairies, milkshops and dairy cattle; noxious trades and businesses, abatement of common nuisances and smoke nuisances; to prevent spitting in the streets and in public vehicles; to inspect restaurants, fish shops, butcher shops and all premises where food is prepared or consumed; to prevent overcrowding of prem ises; and to attend to matters of isolation, dis infection and hospital accommodation fos in fectious diseases and fevers.